Ostinato: a pattern that repeats
An ostinato is a short musical pattern that repeats again and again, usually in the same instrument and at the same pitch, while other parts change above it. The word is Italian for obstinate or stubborn.
Ostinato (say ah-stih-NAH-toh) is Italian for obstinate. A musical ostinato is a stubborn pattern: a rhythm, a melody or a chord pattern that keeps coming back. It can be only a few notes long, or it can last a few measures. The pattern repeats while everything else moves on, and that mix of the fixed and the changing is what makes it work.
How is an ostinato written?
There is no special symbol for ostinato. The pattern is just written out, often with repeat signs or with a note such as simile (continue in the same way). In popular music the same idea is called a riff or a loop. In jazz and rock a repeating bass pattern is often called a vamp or a groove.
What kinds of ostinato are there?
- Rhythmic ostinato: A pattern of durations only, such as a drum pattern that repeats.
- Melodic ostinato: A repeating group of pitches, a short tune.
- Harmonic ostinato: A repeating chord pattern. Many songs rest on four chords that return over and over.
- Ground bass: A repeating bass line, usually in Baroque music, with a changing melody on top.
How is it different from a motif or a sequence?
A motif is a short idea that composers develop in many ways: they can change the key, rhythm or notes. An ostinato stays exactly the same, and keeps repeating in the same voice. A sequence repeats a pattern at a higher or lower pitch. An ostinato keeps the pitch fixed. You can think of the ostinato as a floor, while a motif is something that grows and changes.
Memory trick: Ostinato sounds like obstinate. If a part refuses to change, it is an ostinato.
What are famous examples of ostinato?
- Ravel's Boléro: A snare drum plays the same rhythm from the first measure to the last. Two melodies are repeated over it, and the orchestra builds in a long crescendo. The ostinato holds the whole piece together.
- Pachelbel's Canon in D: A short bass line of eight notes repeats throughout, while the violins add new patterns above it. This type of repeating bass is called a ground bass.
- Purcell's Dido's Lament: A famous ground bass in an opera aria, repeating in the low strings as the singer's line moves above it.
How do you play an ostinato?
The challenge is to keep the pattern steady, even when other parts get more exciting. Play it evenly and listen to the group. In an ensemble, the ostinato is often the anchor, so the others rely on you to stay in time. On the piano, a left hand that plays an ostinato should not get louder or faster by accident. Practice it alone until it feels automatic, then add the other part.
Why do composers use ostinato?
It creates a hypnotic or driving feeling. Repetition gives the listener something steady to hold on to. Over it, small changes seem bigger: a new instrument, a louder dynamic or a different harmony will stand out strongly. Film composers use ostinato to build tension. Teachers use it in the classroom, because a simple repeating pattern lets beginners play along with a more advanced part. Listen for it in a chord progression that repeats over a steady beat.
Check yourself
1. What does ostinato mean in Italian?
Answer: Obstinate or stubborn. A stubborn pattern keeps repeating.
2. What is an ostinato?
Answer: A pattern that repeats. It stays the same while other parts change.
3. Which famous piece has a snare drum ostinato from start to finish?
Answer: Ravel's Boléro. Its snare drum rhythm repeats throughout the whole piece.
4. What is a repeating bass line in Baroque music called?
Answer: Ground bass. It is a form of ostinato in the bass.